EYES ON THE BALL

Governor Uba Sani  is not El-Rufai’s political creation, argues JEREMY DAN USMAN

Until September 7, many people believed the recent claim by the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that his successor in office, Governor Uba Sani is his mentee. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Governor Uba Sani, in just two sentences, has put an end to the spurious claim by stating the correct narrative. While stressing the necessity of not responding to the claim by El-Rufai,  Uba Sani, firm stressed instead that his political leaders are President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

El-Rufai, a man who courts controversy, had during a recent appearance on a national television, described the Kaduna governor as one of the many people he mentored. El-Rufai had declared that “Uba Sani is one of my mentees. I developed many of them. My biggest pride in life is that I’ve elevated many people. I’ve encouraged and mentored many people to greatness. Some even greater than me, and I’m very proud of it.”

 But reacting during an interview recently, Governor Sani was emphatic that he would not be drawn into personal exchanges, insisting rather to focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Kaduna State. “I don’t think it is necessary for me to respond to that comment because for me it is something I think I have no time to respond to,” he declared. “I have so many people that I’ve worked with in my life. Even President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — I met him in 1994 at the house of Beko Ransom Kuti, and I still regard him as my leader. Chief Gani Fawehinmi is a leader, a father to me because during the era of struggle, I lived in his house,”  Sani stated, insisting that he would not be distracted by individual remarks.

 “If someone is speaking about me, I will not comment. But what I can say here is that I’m focusing on Kaduna. I don’t talk about individuals, my focus is Kaduna. I don’t get distracted, my eyes are on the ball,” he stressed.

El Rufai’s narrative suggests that Sani’s political ascent owes much to his guidance. However, this claim crumbles under just a little scrutiny. Governor Sani, a seasoned human rights activist with roots back to the pro-democracy struggles of the 1990s, has a career that predates and transcends any purported mentorship from El-Rufai.

To understand why El-Rufai’s claim rings hollow, one must first delve into Governor Uba Sani’s illustrious background. Long before entering the corridors of elective politics, Sani was a frontline warrior in Nigeria’s fight for democracy and human rights. His activism dates back to the dark days of military rule under General Sani Abacha in the 1990s, when he was an active member of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), a pivotal organization that mobilized against authoritarianism. The CD, founded in 1991, was instrumental in challenging the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late Chief MKO Abiola. Governor Sani’s involvement placed him with icons like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the fiery human rights lawyer whose relentless advocacy earned him the title “Senior Advocate of the Masses.” Chief Fawehinmi, who passed away in 2009, was a profound influence on Governor Uba Sani, imparting lessons in legal activism, social justice, and unyielding opposition to tyranny.

Governor Sani’s commitment to these causes was no mere footnote; it was a defining chapter of his life. As a young activist from Northern Nigeria, he vocally opposed the military’s excesses, risking imprisonment and persecution. He was detained multiple times for his pro-democracy stance, including during the struggle to validate Abiola’s mandate. In tributes to Fawehinmi on the 16th anniversary of his death just days ago, Governor Sani reflected on how the late lawyer served as a “father figure” who taught him the intricacies of civil rights advocacy and the courage to stand against corruption and impunity. Uba Sani has consistently credited figures like Fawehinmi and the late Alhaji Balarabe Musa for positively influencing him as a pro-democracy activist. His activism extended to organizations like the Civil Rights Congress and the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria, where he championed causes ranging from workers’ rights to anti-corruption campaigns.

 Governor Sani’s political journey began in earnest in the early 2000s, well before his association with El-Rufai became prominent. He served as a political adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003 to 2007, focusing on public affairs and intergovernmental relations. Later, as a senator representing Kaduna Central from 2019 to 2023, Uba Sani chaired the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, where he pushed for reforms in financial inclusion and economic policies. His election as governor in 2023 was built on this foundation of independent activism and legislative expertise. While Governor Uba Sani did serve as El-Rufai’s political adviser during the latter’s first term as governor from 2015 to 2019, this role was more of a collaborative partnership than a mentor-mentee dynamic. Governor Uba Sani brought his own credentials to the table, including his deep roots in civil society, and his ability to bridge Northern Nigeria’s diverse ethnic and religious divides.

 Governor Sani  is not El-Rufai’s political creation. As can be attested to, Uba Sani’s two years in office has overshadowed the eight years of his immediate past administration in critical aspects of governance.

 Since Sani assumed office in May 2023, tensions have flared between the two, primarily over the revelation of Kaduna State’s staggering debt burden—over N85 billion in inherited loans and contractual liabilities that Uba Sani publicly lamented as crippling the state’s finances. El-Rufai has defended his administration’s borrowing as necessary for infrastructure projects, but the fallout has led to accusations of mismanagement and probes into his tenure.

By claiming mentorship over a sitting governor, he is probably signaling to allies and rivals alike that his network remains intact, potentially positioning himself for future roles, such as a 2027 presidential bid.

 Interestingly, Governor Sani’s rebuttal on TV could not have been more emphatic. When pressed on El-Rufai’s comments, he stated, “It was unnecessary to react to insinuations about being a mentee of El-Rufai,” before listing his true influencers: President Tinubu for his democratic credentials and Fawehinmi for his human rights legacy. This rebuttal not only reaffirms Governor Sani’s independent trajectory but also highlights his focus on governance over personal squabbles.

 Dan Usman, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja